Discipleship Courses, Bibles & Resources

Christian Discipleship Courses

There are more of these than just the Alpha course. There are numerous different courses with different approaches, so it’s worth finding the one that’s right for your situation.

Before you run one of these and invite your residents along, you might want to consider that running a course specifically for your residents might be a huge commitment of resources to a relatively small portion of the congregation. You may also not want to single them out. However, your residents, many of whom will have come from situations of extreme poverty, destitution and suffering, may well have very different questions about the Christian life than the ordinary layman. For this reason, you might want to consider running additional sessions specifically aimed at answering some of those questions. You might want to explore issues like:

• The fact that Jesus was homeless.
• Jesus’ association with the outcasts, the despicable, the poor and the lowly.  
• Death – many of your residents may have had close friends die early.  

Alpha

The official description says: “Alpha is a non-pressurised, fun and informative course. It is a place to share your thoughts and explore the meaning of life. The course is designed primarily for people who don't go to church or who haven't been to church in a long time and are interested in the Christian faith.” The Alpha course is based on 10 sessions including “Who is Jesus?”, “Why did he die?” and “How does God guide us?”, as well as a weekend or day away looking at the Holy Spirit. Again, the “Who was Jesus?” session lends itself well to a study on Jesus’ homelessness and his heart for the poor and marginalized. Click here to head to the Alpha website. 

Christianity Explored

Official description: “Christianity Explored is a short, informal course designed to “let the Gospel tell the gospel”.  As Mark’s Gospel is opened and explored, Jesus walks off the pages of Scripture - and powerfully into people’s lives. Christianity Explored helps people answer three questions that cut to the heart of Christianity: Who is Jesus? Why did he come? And what does he demand of those who want to follow him?” The course is based around 10 sessions in the book of Mark. Usually this is accompanied with a meal. Because, unlike Alpha, this course is based around an ongoing Bible study, it lends itself to a continued bible study after the course is finished. The section about who Jesus was lends itself well to a “Jesus was homeless” session. Click here to head to the Christianity Explored website.  

Soul

Soul is basically Christianity Explored on video, geared particularly at younger adults. It’s a great course for those who are completely unfamiliar with the Christian message. The official blurb description says “The seven-episode series explores the identity, mission and call of Jesus, and every DVD contains a printed copy of Mark's Gospel so viewers can follow the story for themselves.”. The GrowTH church night shelter in Tower Hamlets ran the SOUL course twice in the 2011-12 season and it proved very popular with the guests. Click here to head to the Soul resources.

Start!  

Start! is perhaps a bit less intellectually-focussed than Alpha and CE but is great for those new to the Christian faith. The official description says “Start! introduces Christianity through six DVD based interactive, small-group sessions.  The Start! course makes no assumptions about participants’ background or experience or knowledge of Christianity or the church. It really does start from scratch. The down-to-earth interactive approach of Start! has proved a winner throughout the UK and overseas - and in every kind of setting: rural, urban and suburban churches, schools, the armed forces, prisons.” Click here to head to the Start! resources.

Bible based 12-step programme

A good biblical parallel of the 12 step AA program can be found here - Click here to head to the 12 steps.

“Disciple” by Freedom in Christ, or the traditional “Freedom in Christ” course

Another potential good follow-on course from something like Alpha. The official description says “The Freedom In Christ approach to discipleship will transform the way you help Christians become fruitful disciples. Focused on firstly establishing every Christian in the sure foundation of their identity in Jesus,it then gives them the tools to break free and stay free from all that holds them back, and a strategy for ongoing transformation.” Click here to head to the resources.

Living Free Course

Living Free is the basic course that introduces us to the ministry of Jesus through biblical truth. It would be an excellent follow up after the Alpha Course. Click here to head to the Living Free resources.

Marriage Course

A seven-session to help couples build their relationship. Designed for couples to be served with a candlelit meal and/or coffee, tea and dessert at a romantic table for two while listening to practical talks that are informative and fun, either given live or played on DVD. There is never any group work and couples only share with each other Click here to head to the Marriage Course.

Bibles

We are now blessed with hundreds of full bible translations in English. So - which ones should you recommend to your residents? It’s helpful to split them into three categories:

Word for word translations. These seek as far as possible to capture precise wording of the original text. These are very precise translations, like a translator would translate a legal document today.  

• Pros: Closest thing to the actual text. Generally good for in depth studies.  
• Cons: The language can be clunky and sometimes hard to understand.  
• Examples: English Standard Version (ESV), King James Version (KJV), New King James Version (NKJV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB).

Thought for thought translations. These emphasize trying to understand the full meaning and nuance of each passage rather than word-for-word accuracy. They take into account cultural and linguistic contexts when choosing how to translate passages as a whole.

• Pros: Easier to read than the word for word translation. Often easier to understand.
• Cons: Not as good for in depth study because some doctrinal interpretations have already been made by interpreters.  
• Examples: New International Version (NIV), New Living Translation (NLT) and the Contemporary English Version (CEV).

Paraphrased translations. These put an emphasis on contemporary readability. They look to capture the poetic and narrative essence of the passage.  

• Pros: Good for people with low literacy levels who may find reading difficult.
• Cons: Can miss more specific points.  
• Examples: The Message (MESSAGE), The Living Bible (TLB), The Amplified Bible (AMP) and the Word on the Street (formerly the Street Bible).

Other materials

You and your church congregation will know of many resources (like daily devotions etc.) that are helpful for the Christian journey. There are now a number of Bible apps available. These are not only very useful for having the Bible on the move but also for doing reading plans. Many residents now have very powerful smartphones, which are able to run apps, so why not encourage them to do a Bible in a Year reading plan on one of these apps? “Bible” developed by Lifechurch.tv is particularly good for this and is available on iPhone and Android.  

Other Christian Resources

Books for your team

The Normal Christian Birth – David Pawson - This is a study of initiation into the New Testament, which attempts to reveal a synthesis of the "liberal" emphasis on repentance, the "evangelical" emphasis on faith, the "sacramental" on Baptism and the "Pentecostal" on the Spirit. These "four spiritual doors" are then related to conversion and regeneration. The second section provides an exegetical study of two dozen crucial or controversial passages, questioning many traditional interpretations. The final section on pastoral application demonstrates the inadequacy of much modern evangelistic counselling.

Ministries of Mercy – Timothy Keller - Here Keller demonstrates that caring for needy people is the job of every believer - not just church deacons - as fundamental to Christian living as evangelism, nurture, and worship. But Keller doesn't stop there. He shows how we can carry out this vital ministry as individuals, families, and churches. Along the way, he deals perspectively with many thorny issues, such as the costs of meeting needs versus the limits of time and resources, giving material aid versus teaching responsibility, and meeting needs within the church versus those outside.

Just Walk Across the Room – Bill Hybels - In "Just Walk Across the Room", Bill Hybels brings personal evangelism into the twenty-first century with a natural and empowering approach modelled after Jesus himself. When Christ "walked" clear across the cosmos more than 2,000 years ago, he had no forced formulas and no memorized script; rather, he came armed only with an offer of redemption for people like us, many of whom were neck-deep in pain of our own making. This dynamic four-week experience is designed to equip and inspire your entire church to participate in that same pattern of grace - giving by taking simple walks across rooms - leaving your circles of comfort and extending hands of compassion, and inclusiveness to people who might need a touch of God's love today.

Rich Christians in an age of hunger – Ron Sider  

In this new look at the age-old problem of abject poverty, Dr. Sider offers not only a detailed explanation of the causes, but also a comprehensive series of practical solutions, in the hope that Christians like him will choose to make a difference.

Irresistible Revolution – Shane Claibourne  

In this book Shane Claiborne tells his story and makes a case for a different way to live as a Christian – the way of the “ordinary radical”. Whilst Claiborne has had a lot of contact with traditional evangelicalism, including an internship at Bill Hybel’s Willow Creek mega-church, he found himself disillusioned with the way that Christians have become conformed to the middle class, and wants to promote an alternative to the “religious right”, which he is strongly critical of. His passions are obvious – compassion for the poor, social justice, the environment and pacifism. He tells of how as a young man he was introduced to a brand of Christianity that had plenty of “do not”s, but was left wondering what, if anything, Christians were supposed to do. A brief stint in the charismatic movement left him equally disillusioned. It was at this point that he began to get to know some homeless people, and soon befriended them. Chapter 2 tells a moving story of how he mobilised many people to prevent a group of homeless families from being evicted from a disused church building.

Beyond the Good Samaritan - Ann Morisy

Community ministry can enliven pastoral support, provide opportunities for people to express their discipleship and help us to understand persistent injustices. This book explains and demonstrates how community ministry unites practical social responsibility and active Christian mission.

God’s Heart for the Poor - Philippa Stroud

Books to recommend to residents ‍

• A Case for Christ – Lee Strobel – Atheist lawyer attempts to disprove Christianity and becomes a Christian in the process. Apologetics.
• The Reason for God – Timothy Keller – Outlining the major obstacles modern people have with faith and takes them on one-by-one
• Why Trust the Bible – Amy Orr-Ewing – 10 tough questions people ask about the Bible.
• Reasonable Faith – Christian Truth and Apologetics  – Apologetics classic
• Mere Christianity – CS Lewis – An overview of Christian ethics and reasons to believe.  
• Lion Handbook to the Bible  – Engaging overview of bible context, with illustrations, statistics, maps of all the important events.  
• The Pursuit of God – A.W. Tozer  – Great spiritual writing on the Christian life.
• Chasing the Dragon – Jackie Pullinger   – Inspiring, page-turning autobiography of a female missionary bringing the gospel to drug addicts and gangsters in Hong Kong’s notorious walled city.  
• Run Baby Run – Nicky Cruz – Page-turner autobiography of a New York gangster transformed by Jesus.
• The Cross and the Switchblade – David Wilkerson  – The late, great evangelist and preacher’s story of his fight to reach New York’s gangsters with the gospel in 50’s New York.  
• Crazy Love - Francis Chan - a fairly easy read to help us get our heads around God’s vast love for us, including lots of inspiring stories

Films for discussion

• The Passion of the Christ – Brutal and graphic depiction of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Powerful, upsetting and moving. Rated 18 for gore and violence, but most DVDs of the film have a 15 rated version as a special feature.
• Chariots of Fire – Story of an athlete and evangelist’s journey of faith.
• Narnia films – Adaptations of C.S. Lewis’ classic children’s novels.
• Courageous - a story of four men with one calling: to serve and protect. When tragedy strikes home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering.
• Fireproof – This film about a firefighter, his wife and a marriage worth rescuing ended up being the USA’s No. 1 independent film in 2008.
• Transformations videos – good videos for people to see actual transformation of lives by the power of Christ.
• Facing the Giants - story about

Online Resources

• ‍www.bethinking.org - lots of resources for those chewing over questions of faith
• ‍http://www.unlock-urban.org.uk/ - provide resources aimed at those from urban areas around engaging with the stories of the Bible and connecting those with their everyday lives

Ideas for Bible Study with a twist

Poverty isn’t fair

• It is just for hard work to be rewarded. The bible is very clear that in a just world, a world where everything was fair, hard work would be rewarded with food, shelter and riches. Proverbs 13:4 says " Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” Proverbs 14:23 says, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.”  
• But we do not live in a just world. God created Adam and gave him dominion over the world (Gen. 1:28). When Adam rebelled against God, he set in motion an entire series of events and changed the very nature of man and creation. Both were affected by sin. Creation was no longer a paradise, it was no longer just. Hard work is no longer always rewarded and sometimes even the idle and evil gain riches (Gen. 3:17-18; Rom. 8:22). Our hearts have turned from God and we now have a sinful nature (Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3), which means we naturally hate God and disobey him (Rom. 3:9-12). This is what we call our “fallen world”.
• In this fallen world God associates himself with the poor. In the Old Testament the Proverbs teach us that if we oppress the poor, we are disrespecting the Lord. Furthermore we learn that “he who lends to the poor, lends to the Lord and he will repay him for his deed” Proverbs 19:17.  

God of the poor

Jesus was poor and frequently homeless

• In birth – his parents were refugees, he was born in a trough used to feed animals because everyone refused to look after his pregnant mother.
• In life – the Bible teaches us that for significant periods of his ministry Jesus was a traveller, without any home or place to sleep at night. Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." Matthew 8:20. Furthermore, Jesus was “a man of sorrows, well acquainted with suffering.” (Is 53:3). God in Jesus knows what it’s like to suffer, to weep and to mourn.  
• In death – Jesus was rejected completely in his death. His community’s leaders handed him over to the Romans, who had oppressed their community for many years. In fact, Jesus was so hated, the crowd preferred to release a convicted murderer, Barabas, than let Jesus walk free. Jesus was executed alongside two common criminals by crucifixion, one of the most painful and humiliating forms of execution ever devised. After he was executed, one of Jesus’ closest friends, Peter, denied that he had ever known Jesus.  

Jesus is the human embodiment of the God of Proverbs - the God who identifies himself with the poor. He says this explicitly in Matthew 25 when he says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’“ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King [Jesus] will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

God will provide for the poor – both in this life and the next

God will provide materially and physically

• Bible verses - promises
• Shelters/Green Pastures/The Church – we are a resource to the poor
• Think of other moments in your lives when God has provided for you.  
• Healing
• He will provide in the future - God will provide spiritually for his followers
• Bible verses
• Prayer
• Fellowship

How should we view poverty and riches

• Poverty is wrong
• Rich and poor are equal. Both should be loved.  
• The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.